Filing appliance.



H. J. HIGK. FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

1,052,444, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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H. J. HICK.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZB, 1909.

1,052,444, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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H. J. HIGK. FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

1,052,444. Patented Feb.4, 1913.

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HARRY J. HICK, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FILING APPLIANCE.

Application filed May 26, 1909.

To all whom/7125 may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. Hron, a c1t1- zen of the United States, residing at Alli: ance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to filing appliances, ordinarily known as credit accounting appliances, it being more particularly adapted for the systematic filing and keeping of memoranda, data, slips of paper and the like, incident to business systems, such as sales slips, bills or accounts payable and receivable, statements, ledger cards and for similar purposes.

The object of the invention consists in providing means for locking two or more of the leaves together, whereby certain accounts or records may be kept locked up to preclude inspection or alteration, excepting by the proprietor or person or persons in trusted with the keeping of such records, leaving the other leaves or sections of the appliance free to be manipulated for the systematic and proper keeping of accounts and the like by clerks or employees not intrusted with the records to be concealed in the locked-up portion of the appliance.

Further objects of the invention consist in the combination or combinations of parts described and claimed in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating one form of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing appliance embodying my invention, the front leaf of the series of leaves being reclined. Fig. 2 is a view' similar to Fig. 1, showing most of the leaves reclined, the casing or housing being broken away. Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the leaves when in normal vertical position. Figs. 4C and 5 are sectional views, respectively, of two different leaves used in the appliance. Fig. 6 is a modification of one of the leaves. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the casing and leaves, when the latter are in normal position.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a casing or housing of any usual or preferred construction.v It preferably comprises an upright Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

Serial No. 498,425.

portion 2, having a back 2*", and side pieces 2 2 and a desk portion 3, having a transparent top 3 an index carrying slide 3*, and drawers 3, 3 the latter being adapted to receive and store blanks, pads, pad holders, pencils, or other supplies and articles for use in carrying out the system, if desired.

4: indicates a support, preferably arranged on a level with or slightly above the desk top 3 5 indicates a plurality of leaves or sections, the front one 5 being, in the example illustrated, pivotally mounted at 5, 5, on the support 4. Preferably, suitable pivoting and connecting devices 6 are arranged between the leaves or sections, so that when one or more of them are reclined from the vertical, the lower edges of all the remaining upright leaves or sections move forward to the position occupied by the lower edge of the last leaf reclined. It will be understood that the series of leaves 5 may be pivotally mounted in any desired manner.

7 indicates a series of record or bill-holding spring operated clips mounted upon one or both sides of'each leaf or section, as desired.

7 indicates one form of clip shown on some of the leaves, and 7 indicates another form of clip on other leaves 5. Each of'the clips 7 is preferably formed from resilient wire, and coiled at 7 near its opposite ends to form springs for normally pressing the clip toward the adjacent face of the leaf. The free ends of the wire are suitably secured to the leaves 5. It will be understood that my invention is not limited to a spring clip, as any suitable bill-holding clip or clamp may be employed.

8 indicates a separating plate or divider for some of the leaves or sections, preferably arranged behind one or more of the clips 7 2 and adapted to be engaged and normally pressed by said clip or clips against the adjacent face of the leaf or section-5. The separating plate 8 preferably comprises a metallic plate 8 that forms a backing against which the clip or clips 7 act. The plate 8' is pivoted on or near the axis of the clip 7 relatively to the face of the adjacent leaf or section 5. Preferably the pivoting means for the separating plate comprise pins 8*, 8, near opposite ends of the plate and each arranged to have its free ends extend each into the adjacent coil 7 Each plate 8 may be provided-with an inwardly projecting flange 8 along its lower edge which serves as a rest for the papers filed behind the plate.

The purpose of the separating plate is to provide convenient means for the systematic filing and keeping in a single appliance of notes, bills payable or receivable, accounts payable, inventory records, agreements and other memoranda, preferably concealed from view, as well as all memoranda relating to each separate account, and which 1t may be desirable to formulate and record from time to time for ready inspection and reference.

9 indicates means provided on some of the leaves or sections of the series for. forming a shoulder or rib 9 near the free end of each of the clips 7 to facilitate the removal of a slip or bunch of slips from beneath each of said clips. Such means preferably comprise a series of thin metallic plates 9*, each bent longitudinally, as shown in the sectional view in Fig. 4, to form the shoulder 9, and horizontally arranged near the free end of the adjacent clip 7 The plates 9 may be secured in any well known manner, as by rivets 9. to the leaf or section 5.

I prefer to provide means for locking together the leaves provided with the separating plates without interfering with the operation of the remaining leaves of the series, the purpose being to keep certain accounts or memoranda relating thereto under lock and key, so that unauthorized persons cannot inspect or mutilate the accounts and records relating to them. In carrying out this object and purpose of the invention, I prefer to lock the rearmost leaves of the series. As shown in the drawings, I have provided locking means for locking the last four leaves of the series together, such locking means being indicated at 10 and adapted to receive a key 10, when they are to be locked or unlocked.

For convenience in operation, I preferably arrange the upper edges of the leaves 5 adapted to receive the credit sales slips, in echelon, so that the index devices 11 may be readily seen. As the leaves provided with separating plates 8 are not intended to be used generally, their upper edges are shown in the drawings as being arranged in the same horizontal plane, one behind the other. The upper edges of these last mentioned leaves may, however, be arranged in echelon, if desired.

12 indicates a guiding device. This device preferably comprises an arm pivoted to the back 2 and provided with a latch 12 at or near its free end. The guide arm 12 is gravity operated and when all the leaves are in normal vertical position its catch 12 engages the upper edge of the front leaf 5 and holds all the leaves closed. When the front leaf 5 is reclined, the guide arm 12 is moved upwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, against a stop 12 and operates then to move the upper edges of all the upright leaves forward when one or more of them are reclined. If all the leaves except the last leaf of the series are reclined, the upper edge of the last leaf engages with the catch 12 and is held upright thereby. l/Vhen the upper edges of some of the leaves are arranged in the same horizontal plane, one behind the other, and the other leaves of the series are arranged in echelon, as shown in the drawings, the guide arm 12 is bent, as shown at 12, so that it will lie in the same plane with the upper edges of all of the leaves. If desired, shoulder plates 9 may be arranged to cooperate with all of the clips 7, or separator plates 8 may be provided behind each clip 7 carried by the leaves or sections 5.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated one modification of the invention. Referring to such View, 13 indicates a separating plate or divider arranged behind and common to each two or more adjoining clips 7 7 14 indicates pivot pins loosely mounted at the lower edge of the separator plates 13 and each arranged to have its opposite ends extend into the adjacent coils '7 of the springs 7 and be pivoted thereto relatively to the adjacent leaf face. In order to provide compensating means for the memoranda and data to be filed behind the separator 13, the pins 14 are bent at substantially right angles at- 145, 11, 14, 1 1 to form an off-set portion 15 which is looselypivoted to the lower edge of the separator 13. This construction permits the lower edge of the separator to accommodate itself to the thickness of the papers or memoranda filed behind the separator 13, whereby the papers or memoranda may be filed one behind the other and held in perfect order by the separator 13.

To those skilled in the art of making apparatus of the class described, many alterations and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggestthemselves. My disclosures and description herein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

For the purpose of illustrating a use to which the leaves or sections provided with separators or dividers are adapted, I have shown in Fig. .6 one of the dividers broken away to expose an account 16 of John Jones against the proprietor of the appliance, William Smith. It should be assumed that another or additional and later account payable between the same parties is rendered. The first one is numbered 1, and the amount is for $500.00. When it was received, a slip 17 was made out in the name of John Jones, carrying the amount of account No. 1 and placed under the clip 7 and number 16, which index number designates John J oness filing section in the appliance. When the second account is received, it is numbered 2, and a second slip 17 is made out in favor of John Jones and having carried forward on it the amount $500.00 of the first slip, to which is added the amount $700.00 of the second slip, giving a total of $1,200.00 on the second slip, which slip may then be filed under the clip 16. Now the advantage of this system is due to the fact that the slips may be made in multiple and in such manner that one may be filed under John Jones to show the amount owed him to date, the other may be filed under a section devoted to total accounts payable, the amount of John J oness last bill being added to the amount of total accounts payable on the last slip appearing in the section devoted to that purpose; the third slip may be used in the stock account to show the amount of stock on hand; and the fourth slip may be used for taking advantage of the last day for discounting the last bill rendered, etc. The advantage of the appliance for accommodating such a system of keeping a merchants record will be at once apparent. The bills payable, accounts payable, and the like, may be filed systematically and concealed from view by the separators or dividing plates, simply indexed for reference purposes, and manifolding pads may be employed, the slips of which filled in at a single writing, may be used for keeping up to date various details of the merchants business, among others, the total amount of all the accounts payable owed a particular party, which slip when made out is filed under the spring clip which bears upon the separator or dividing plate behind which are filed the accounts payable of the creditor in question, or a ledger sheet in card or other form may be used for keeping a record of debits and credits of any account and it may be held by the spring clip above mentioned.

That I claim is 1. In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of pivotally mounted leaves arranged to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position and vice versa, and key controlled means for locking two or more of the leaves together without interfering with the operation of the remaining leaves.

2. In a filing appliance, the combination of a support, a series of leaves mounted thereon, means for connecting the leaves together, such connecting means operating, when one or more of the leaves are reclined, to move the lower edges of the remaining leaves forward and upward, and means for locking two or more of the leaves together without interfering with the manipulation of the other leaves.

3. In a filing appliance, the combination with a support, of a series of leaves, means for pivotally supporting one end leaf of said series on said support, means for connecting the leaves together, such connecting means operating, when one or more of the leaves are reclined, to move the lower edges of the remaining upright leaves forward and upward, means, operating when one or more of the leaves are reclined, to move the upper edges of the remaining upright leaves forward substantially the same distances as their lower edges are moved forward, and key controlled means for locking two or more of the leaves together without interfering with the manipulation of the other leaves.

4. The combination of a support, a series of leaves having one of its end leaves carried by said support, devices for pivotally connecting said leaves together and permitting them to swing relative to each other, the said devices operating when certain of said leaves are swung to transmit motion to an adjacent leaf or leaves of the series, and means for locking two or more of said leaves together without interfering with the normal operation of the remaining leaves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. HICK.

Witnesses T. C. URAN, J. D. CATHON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

